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Click through if you'd like to read about the Olympic bouquets.
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Showing posts with label Olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Olympics. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Monday, March 01, 2010
Olympic wrap up
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One thing I think is interesting about the Olympics is the way the country boundaries seem to be getting more and more blurry.
I usually think about this during the summer Olympics, when it seems that at least half of the participants on all the teams train in the USA. So-and-so who runs for name-your-big-American-University but is on the not-USA Olympic team. Someone-else who swims for different-big-American-University but is on the different-not-USA Olympic team.
In the winter, the same is true for hockey players, who, nearly all of them, skate in North America professionally but skate for their home countries in the Olympics.
This winter's games seemed to me to take blurriness up an order of magnitude.
A Japanese girl who gave up her citizenship to become a Russian (!!!) so she could skate in "pairs" (which they apparently don't have in Japan). A Canadian skater getting US citizenship so she could train and skate here. A skier who grew up in the US skiing for Canada. A Canadian coach for the Chinese aerial skiers. A Korean coach for American speed skaters. Russian figure-skating coaches everywhere -- including the same coach/choreographer team working with the Canadian ice-dancing pair who won gold AND the American pair who won silver!
If this isn't blurry boundaries, I don't know what would be.
I decided I think it's a good thing. Let them train where they think they need to, with the coaches/partners/teammates who seem to be the best fit, and then let them perform for us.
As long as we all understand that this whole national boundary thing is getting less and less significant to the entire extravaganza, despite the way we count off who wins how many of what color medal.............
And now, just because I can.... Another pic snapped off the tv last night. It just goes to show -- Take The Pic.
It may not be great, but you may be glad to have it.........
One last image from the beginning of the closing ceremonies.
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One thing I think is interesting about the Olympics is the way the country boundaries seem to be getting more and more blurry.
I usually think about this during the summer Olympics, when it seems that at least half of the participants on all the teams train in the USA. So-and-so who runs for name-your-big-American-University but is on the not-USA Olympic team. Someone-else who swims for different-big-American-University but is on the different-not-USA Olympic team.
In the winter, the same is true for hockey players, who, nearly all of them, skate in North America professionally but skate for their home countries in the Olympics.
This winter's games seemed to me to take blurriness up an order of magnitude.
A Japanese girl who gave up her citizenship to become a Russian (!!!) so she could skate in "pairs" (which they apparently don't have in Japan). A Canadian skater getting US citizenship so she could train and skate here. A skier who grew up in the US skiing for Canada. A Canadian coach for the Chinese aerial skiers. A Korean coach for American speed skaters. Russian figure-skating coaches everywhere -- including the same coach/choreographer team working with the Canadian ice-dancing pair who won gold AND the American pair who won silver!
If this isn't blurry boundaries, I don't know what would be.
I decided I think it's a good thing. Let them train where they think they need to, with the coaches/partners/teammates who seem to be the best fit, and then let them perform for us.
As long as we all understand that this whole national boundary thing is getting less and less significant to the entire extravaganza, despite the way we count off who wins how many of what color medal.............
And now, just because I can.... Another pic snapped off the tv last night. It just goes to show -- Take The Pic.
It may not be great, but you may be glad to have it.........
One last image from the beginning of the closing ceremonies.
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Saturday, February 27, 2010
update
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Yesterday.
Today. Click to embiggen, if you like. We are getting a considerable amount of accumulation! You can see how deep it is where the neighbor's snow blower has cut the edges at the corner.
I didn't touch the knitting, yesterday, except to photograph it, so no progress to show.
I didn't watch the Olympics, either, except for a few heats of the 500 short-course races. I'm not really fond of events where it's all about how much you can push and jostle but not get caught for doing same..............
I like things to be clear and unambiguous, and I prefer simple competitions like freestyle swimming. Did you get there first without leaving too soon? You win.
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Yesterday.
Today. Click to embiggen, if you like. We are getting a considerable amount of accumulation! You can see how deep it is where the neighbor's snow blower has cut the edges at the corner.
I didn't touch the knitting, yesterday, except to photograph it, so no progress to show.
I didn't watch the Olympics, either, except for a few heats of the 500 short-course races. I'm not really fond of events where it's all about how much you can push and jostle but not get caught for doing same..............
I like things to be clear and unambiguous, and I prefer simple competitions like freestyle swimming. Did you get there first without leaving too soon? You win.
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Friday, February 26, 2010
updates
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Loved how happy the final group of figure skaters were with their performances! So glad Canadian Joannie. was on the medal stand. Wasn't Yu-Na gorgeous? And Mirai so cute. I was so glad to see her be all smiles after her skate.
Yay.
Another day, another 2-3" of snow.
Very windy this morning. I tried to catch the snow the wind is swirling off the roof, but was unsuccessful.
Home stretch.
Graft the toe, felt, done!
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Loved how happy the final group of figure skaters were with their performances! So glad Canadian Joannie. was on the medal stand. Wasn't Yu-Na gorgeous? And Mirai so cute. I was so glad to see her be all smiles after her skate.
Yay.
Another day, another 2-3" of snow.
Very windy this morning. I tried to catch the snow the wind is swirling off the roof, but was unsuccessful.
Home stretch.
Graft the toe, felt, done!
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
updates
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The snow we got yesterday (and night before last) was definitely the most for this year.
I'd told my better half that he would be able to put the minivan in the drive when he got home from work (so that when the plows came in the night the van wouldn't get plowed in).
I'm not sure what time I went out to start dealing with that......
There was a lot more snow than I thought.
This is an "after" pic -- Wilbur doesn't have enough hair to be out, just hanging around, while I shovel. Cold never bothered the corgis (until it was well below zero; 22 below, F, was too cold even for them!), but Wib's hair is way shorter than theirs. He came out after I was done shoveling, and was only out while I was documenting.
In any case, I'll bet there was nearly a foot of snow in some places!
It was the wet heavy kind this time, in contrast to last time's fluff.
I just wish I knew how many tons of snow I moved yesterday. Hundreds of shovelfuls, weighing ... ???
In the evening, as we watched the ice dancers finish their Olympics, I finished the slipper.
I don't like the look of this as an object as much as the test slipper, but I think it's going to function much better. Stay on better. Keep my ankle warmer.
I think this is a go.
Now I just need to make another one just like it, and I will be done. Huzzah.
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The snow we got yesterday (and night before last) was definitely the most for this year.
I'd told my better half that he would be able to put the minivan in the drive when he got home from work (so that when the plows came in the night the van wouldn't get plowed in).
I'm not sure what time I went out to start dealing with that......
There was a lot more snow than I thought.
This is an "after" pic -- Wilbur doesn't have enough hair to be out, just hanging around, while I shovel. Cold never bothered the corgis (until it was well below zero; 22 below, F, was too cold even for them!), but Wib's hair is way shorter than theirs. He came out after I was done shoveling, and was only out while I was documenting.
In any case, I'll bet there was nearly a foot of snow in some places!
It was the wet heavy kind this time, in contrast to last time's fluff.
I just wish I knew how many tons of snow I moved yesterday. Hundreds of shovelfuls, weighing ... ???
In the evening, as we watched the ice dancers finish their Olympics, I finished the slipper.
I don't like the look of this as an object as much as the test slipper, but I think it's going to function much better. Stay on better. Keep my ankle warmer.
I think this is a go.
Now I just need to make another one just like it, and I will be done. Huzzah.
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Monday, February 22, 2010
updates
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Loved UM students Meryl and Charlie's original (ice) dance last night! The assignment was "a dance of the country." Meryl and Charlie's was a Bollywood dance (something reminiscent of an Indian musical movie). It was very fun to watch, and certainly reminded me of gestures and movements I've seen in my (very few) glimpses of Indian movies.
The judges liked it, too.
When I decided to make the sides of the slippers higher, I wasn't thinking about how that would affect what happens at the top (where the slipper covers the top of the foot).
We'll see if this works.
With this whole felting thing, there is a big leap of faith that the felting will go next time as it went last time..............
The hole where the foot will go in looks awfully small.............
The yellow markers are where I will begin the decreases for the toe, and I think it is time to do those decreases. It will be a good thing to finish this slipper and get it felted asap, so I can determine if this plan is going to work or if this is just the second test...........
One final update -- our local weather............
This is what it looks like out the window this morning.
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Loved UM students Meryl and Charlie's original (ice) dance last night! The assignment was "a dance of the country." Meryl and Charlie's was a Bollywood dance (something reminiscent of an Indian musical movie). It was very fun to watch, and certainly reminded me of gestures and movements I've seen in my (very few) glimpses of Indian movies.
The judges liked it, too.
When I decided to make the sides of the slippers higher, I wasn't thinking about how that would affect what happens at the top (where the slipper covers the top of the foot).
We'll see if this works.
With this whole felting thing, there is a big leap of faith that the felting will go next time as it went last time..............
The hole where the foot will go in looks awfully small.............
The yellow markers are where I will begin the decreases for the toe, and I think it is time to do those decreases. It will be a good thing to finish this slipper and get it felted asap, so I can determine if this plan is going to work or if this is just the second test...........
One final update -- our local weather............
This is what it looks like out the window this morning.
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Sunday, February 21, 2010
Olympic update
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Team USA behaving beautifully when they get bronze or silver instead of the gold they hoped for. (Stark contrast with figure-skater crybaby from former Cold War opponent country, whose coach *and country leader!!!* joined in the sour-grapes-itude! How embarassing for any citizen of that nation!)
Good on ya, Team USA.
I went to JoAnn's for more yarn. My goodness. I could spend SO much money in that place. They have so much *color*. Fabric. Yarn. Paint. Markers. Pencils. Paper! One of each, please!
These slippers begin with a wedge that ends up as the back of the heel. Five stitches cast on, with two pairs of increases. Last time I did 11 ridges of garter stitch; this time I did 18.
Picking up the first side of the wedge (for one side of the slipper) went quickly, but I spent way too much time picking, unpicking, picking on the other side.
Here we are this morning, all picked up, with one pair of increases under the heel and about ready to do the second pair of increases.
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Team USA behaving beautifully when they get bronze or silver instead of the gold they hoped for. (Stark contrast with figure-skater crybaby from former Cold War opponent country, whose coach *and country leader!!!* joined in the sour-grapes-itude! How embarassing for any citizen of that nation!)
Good on ya, Team USA.
I went to JoAnn's for more yarn. My goodness. I could spend SO much money in that place. They have so much *color*. Fabric. Yarn. Paint. Markers. Pencils. Paper! One of each, please!
These slippers begin with a wedge that ends up as the back of the heel. Five stitches cast on, with two pairs of increases. Last time I did 11 ridges of garter stitch; this time I did 18.
Picking up the first side of the wedge (for one side of the slipper) went quickly, but I spent way too much time picking, unpicking, picking on the other side.
Here we are this morning, all picked up, with one pair of increases under the heel and about ready to do the second pair of increases.
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Saturday, February 20, 2010
Olympic update
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We have been spoiled, the last two summer Olympics. We have known people who were competing.
My daughter's high school swim team (Ann Arbor Pioneer) was a powerhouse for most of the first decade of this millenium. The captains of that team assign each swimmer a "sister" or two, and my daughter had some very talented and dedicated sisters.
Kara Lynn Joyce swam for team USA in 2004 and 2008 (bringing home silver medals as part of the 200 freestyle relay team each year), and Alison Gregorka was part of the 2008 silver-medal winning water polo team.
These young women would know my daughter if they met her, and their parents would know me. :-)
It really brings an extra dimension to the Olympic experience when you know someone who is competing. It's exciting when you recognize a swimmer, not because you hear the announcer read her name, but because you've seen her step up to the blocks dozens of times and you know her pre-race stance..... Knowing a competitor (or two!) makes you wonder about all the other Olympians -- who they went to school with, who was on their team when they were 17.....
This winter, our closest "tie" is that two of the ice-dancing pairs are University of Michigan students.....
I enjoyed watching "our" dancers last night. And enjoyed watching a competition where no one was likely to be maimed by a mistake.........
And I finished the test slipper.
It went very smoothly. I did a couple more decrease rows, and grafted the toe without a hitch.
The row-change isn't offensive, but I don't want it on the left like that on each slipper of a pair....... I'll have to cogitate on that........
Then, during commercials, I felted it.
There it is -- the compulsory dance of my Olympic challenge.
It fits! I believe I am victorious, so far.
It is awfully low, in back. More like a dancing slipper than a "keep your feet warm in winter" slipper.
I'll make a few changes. The real slippers will come up about an inch higher, and I'll close over the top of the foot several rows sooner.
I believe I know what I'm going to do, and I believe it's going to work!
Now I need to have breakfast and then go buy some more yarn!
.
We have been spoiled, the last two summer Olympics. We have known people who were competing.
My daughter's high school swim team (Ann Arbor Pioneer) was a powerhouse for most of the first decade of this millenium. The captains of that team assign each swimmer a "sister" or two, and my daughter had some very talented and dedicated sisters.
Kara Lynn Joyce swam for team USA in 2004 and 2008 (bringing home silver medals as part of the 200 freestyle relay team each year), and Alison Gregorka was part of the 2008 silver-medal winning water polo team.
These young women would know my daughter if they met her, and their parents would know me. :-)
It really brings an extra dimension to the Olympic experience when you know someone who is competing. It's exciting when you recognize a swimmer, not because you hear the announcer read her name, but because you've seen her step up to the blocks dozens of times and you know her pre-race stance..... Knowing a competitor (or two!) makes you wonder about all the other Olympians -- who they went to school with, who was on their team when they were 17.....
This winter, our closest "tie" is that two of the ice-dancing pairs are University of Michigan students.....
I enjoyed watching "our" dancers last night. And enjoyed watching a competition where no one was likely to be maimed by a mistake.........
And I finished the test slipper.
It went very smoothly. I did a couple more decrease rows, and grafted the toe without a hitch.
The row-change isn't offensive, but I don't want it on the left like that on each slipper of a pair....... I'll have to cogitate on that........
Then, during commercials, I felted it.
There it is -- the compulsory dance of my Olympic challenge.
It fits! I believe I am victorious, so far.
It is awfully low, in back. More like a dancing slipper than a "keep your feet warm in winter" slipper.
I'll make a few changes. The real slippers will come up about an inch higher, and I'll close over the top of the foot several rows sooner.
I believe I know what I'm going to do, and I believe it's going to work!
Now I need to have breakfast and then go buy some more yarn!
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Sunday, August 10, 2008
Olympics -- congrats, Kara Lynn!
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Congratulations to Kara Lynn Joyce and her teammates on earning the silver medal in the 4 x 100 free relay!!!
A friend of Natalie Coughlin's family is posting pics -- see the medal ceremony here.
(Kara Lynn is the tallest, standing beside Dara Torres who has short hair and is on our left as we look at the foursome.)
Photographer Tom is giving his view of Beijing and the Olympics; very interesting to see. Generous of him to share his images with all of us. Thanks, Tom!
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Congratulations to Kara Lynn Joyce and her teammates on earning the silver medal in the 4 x 100 free relay!!!
A friend of Natalie Coughlin's family is posting pics -- see the medal ceremony here.
(Kara Lynn is the tallest, standing beside Dara Torres who has short hair and is on our left as we look at the foursome.)
Photographer Tom is giving his view of Beijing and the Olympics; very interesting to see. Generous of him to share his images with all of us. Thanks, Tom!
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Friday, August 08, 2008
thank you, Canada!
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I am lucky enough to live in a place where we get CBC on our cable. CBC broadcasts the Olympics in real time, and I was able to watch the opening ceremonies in real time.
How I wish all those lovely words were true -- that each person involved with every team would exhibit the pure incandescent sportswomanship shown by Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace in the NCAA DII softball tournament!
In any case, I wish each athlete the best meet/game/competition of her or his career.
Wishing the very best of luck to my daughter's high school swim team "sisters," Kara Lynn Joyce (swimming) and Alison Gregorka (water polo)!
Go, world!
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I am lucky enough to live in a place where we get CBC on our cable. CBC broadcasts the Olympics in real time, and I was able to watch the opening ceremonies in real time.
How I wish all those lovely words were true -- that each person involved with every team would exhibit the pure incandescent sportswomanship shown by Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace in the NCAA DII softball tournament!
In any case, I wish each athlete the best meet/game/competition of her or his career.
Wishing the very best of luck to my daughter's high school swim team "sisters," Kara Lynn Joyce (swimming) and Alison Gregorka (water polo)!
Go, world!
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Thursday, July 10, 2008
swim sisters
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Ann Arbor's Pioneer High School is a very good school. It has a very *very* good swim program. The women's team has been the best in Michigan for the last eight years, and was number one nationally in 2002-2003, 2004-2005, and 2005-2006.
The team is huge (90+ girls, some years -- everyone who is willing to do the work is welcome to swim with the team; no one is cut because she is too slow). Helping with the team's cohesiveness, every year's captains assign each girl a couple of "swim sisters" -- younger and older girls, who give each other little presents before meets (lip gloss, maybe, or home-baked cookies).
My daughter had some very illustrious sisters.
Margaret Kelly was part of all three of Pioneer's National Number One teams. She went on to swim for the University of Michigan.
Alison Gregorka was part of the 2002-2003 Pioneer swim team's overwhelming dominance, but her true sport is water polo. The Pioneer women's water polo team were state champs in 1999-2000, 2001-2002, and 2002-2003. Alison went on to play polo for Stanford, and then to play for the USA senior national team.
Kara Lynn Joyce set national records in the 50 and 100 free at the Michigan high school state meet in 2002, and was part of 200 and 400 free relay teams that set national records that year. She went on to swim for Georgia, and for the USA in the 2004 Olympics (where she won two silver medals). Kara Lynn visited Pioneer after the Olympics, and my daughter got to hold and admire an Olympic medal. How cool is that???
Kara Lynn and Alison are going to Beijing.
I keep saying it -- how cool is that?
We very much enjoyed watching Kara Lynn in Athens in 2004. It makes the Olympics seem much closer and more personal when you know someone who is on the team. When you recognize someone as team USA marches into the stadium. When you recognize a swimmer stepping up to the blocks because you have seen her do so, in person, many times.
How cool that two of my daughter's "sisters" will compete with team USA this summer!
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Ann Arbor's Pioneer High School is a very good school. It has a very *very* good swim program. The women's team has been the best in Michigan for the last eight years, and was number one nationally in 2002-2003, 2004-2005, and 2005-2006.
The team is huge (90+ girls, some years -- everyone who is willing to do the work is welcome to swim with the team; no one is cut because she is too slow). Helping with the team's cohesiveness, every year's captains assign each girl a couple of "swim sisters" -- younger and older girls, who give each other little presents before meets (lip gloss, maybe, or home-baked cookies).
My daughter had some very illustrious sisters.
Margaret Kelly was part of all three of Pioneer's National Number One teams. She went on to swim for the University of Michigan.
Alison Gregorka was part of the 2002-2003 Pioneer swim team's overwhelming dominance, but her true sport is water polo. The Pioneer women's water polo team were state champs in 1999-2000, 2001-2002, and 2002-2003. Alison went on to play polo for Stanford, and then to play for the USA senior national team.
Kara Lynn Joyce set national records in the 50 and 100 free at the Michigan high school state meet in 2002, and was part of 200 and 400 free relay teams that set national records that year. She went on to swim for Georgia, and for the USA in the 2004 Olympics (where she won two silver medals). Kara Lynn visited Pioneer after the Olympics, and my daughter got to hold and admire an Olympic medal. How cool is that???
Kara Lynn and Alison are going to Beijing.
I keep saying it -- how cool is that?
We very much enjoyed watching Kara Lynn in Athens in 2004. It makes the Olympics seem much closer and more personal when you know someone who is on the team. When you recognize someone as team USA marches into the stadium. When you recognize a swimmer stepping up to the blocks because you have seen her do so, in person, many times.
How cool that two of my daughter's "sisters" will compete with team USA this summer!
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Tuesday, June 24, 2008
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I suppose it's a stretch to call this "mail art".........
Last fall I went to my first stamp show. There were all sorts of interesting stamps, and lots of them weren't all that expensive. (I am sure there were plenty that were expensive, but I didn't look at those.....)
My favorite vendor had big bins of uncancelled US stamps. At face value, so any I don't use in art projects can be used as ... postage!
I had fun picking out lots of "free" (since they could be used as postage and I'd be buying stamps for postange anyway!) stamps that were interesting to me for one reason or another.
This is the first time I used any of them.
I enjoy watching the Olympics, and it is possible that we will know someone who goes to swim for the USA. One of my daughter's high school swim team "sisters" was a member of the 2004 Olympic team, and several other members of that high school team will also swim in this year's Olympic trials.
It's even more fun to watch the Games when someone you know is on the team!
Good luck at the trials Kara Lynn, Melissa, Margaret, Lizzie, T.! Swim fast!
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I suppose it's a stretch to call this "mail art".........
Last fall I went to my first stamp show. There were all sorts of interesting stamps, and lots of them weren't all that expensive. (I am sure there were plenty that were expensive, but I didn't look at those.....)
My favorite vendor had big bins of uncancelled US stamps. At face value, so any I don't use in art projects can be used as ... postage!
I had fun picking out lots of "free" (since they could be used as postage and I'd be buying stamps for postange anyway!) stamps that were interesting to me for one reason or another.
This is the first time I used any of them.
I enjoy watching the Olympics, and it is possible that we will know someone who goes to swim for the USA. One of my daughter's high school swim team "sisters" was a member of the 2004 Olympic team, and several other members of that high school team will also swim in this year's Olympic trials.
It's even more fun to watch the Games when someone you know is on the team!
Good luck at the trials Kara Lynn, Melissa, Margaret, Lizzie, T.! Swim fast!
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Friday, May 19, 2006
swim meet
Well, here's a part of my life I haven't shown you yet....
Since my daughter joined the high school swim team as a freshman, competitive swim has been a big part of our lives. My daughter had a wonderful swim experience in high school with hall-of-fame coaches Denny Hill and Liz Hill, and she currently swims for her university's Division III program.
I offer you here a picture of three 2004 Olympians. From left to right, Natalie Coughlin, Katie Hoff, and Kara Lynn Joyce. Kara Lynn was my daughter's "big sister" on the high school swim team during the 2002-2003 season. Kara set the age group record (no girl 18 or younger has ever gone faster) in the 50 yard freestyle that year (22.03), leading out the 200 freestyle relay that also still holds the national record. Our high school team was national number one that year.
(Being part of that swim team has been an incredible ride!)
The picture shows them on the medal stand this afternoon. Kara Lynn won the 50 freestyle.
The meet today was in memory of Erik Namesnik, a young local swim coach (and two-time Olympian) who was killed in a traffic accident on an icy road last winter.
Lots of famous swimming names swam, including Michael Phelps. I thought of offering you pics of (nearly) naked (nearly) men....
I did knit on the blue sock while I waited to be able to buy my ticket to the swim meet this afternoon...... (And I wore my Olympic socks to the meet!)
Since my daughter joined the high school swim team as a freshman, competitive swim has been a big part of our lives. My daughter had a wonderful swim experience in high school with hall-of-fame coaches Denny Hill and Liz Hill, and she currently swims for her university's Division III program.
I offer you here a picture of three 2004 Olympians. From left to right, Natalie Coughlin, Katie Hoff, and Kara Lynn Joyce. Kara Lynn was my daughter's "big sister" on the high school swim team during the 2002-2003 season. Kara set the age group record (no girl 18 or younger has ever gone faster) in the 50 yard freestyle that year (22.03), leading out the 200 freestyle relay that also still holds the national record. Our high school team was national number one that year.
(Being part of that swim team has been an incredible ride!)
The picture shows them on the medal stand this afternoon. Kara Lynn won the 50 freestyle.
The meet today was in memory of Erik Namesnik, a young local swim coach (and two-time Olympian) who was killed in a traffic accident on an icy road last winter.
Lots of famous swimming names swam, including Michael Phelps. I thought of offering you pics of (nearly) naked (nearly) men....
I did knit on the blue sock while I waited to be able to buy my ticket to the swim meet this afternoon...... (And I wore my Olympic socks to the meet!)
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